


Those Were the Days

by kraefandoms



Series: Songs from the Overworld, the Nether, and the End [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Demon Hybrid BBH, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy AU, Finding a Magical Cure, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Angst, Once again i am wondering why their tags are their irl names, THIS IS ABOUT THE CHARACTERS, The Nether (Minecraft), Traveling, but if you wouldn’t kiss the homies to save their lives then :(, fucking with in-game mechanics, heat exhaustion, i wrote this platonically but i know some of yall are going to read it romantically, mistyped one of the tags and now i gotta fix it, neither skeppy nor bbh are really having a great time but they dont really get a say in the matter, not beta read we die like schlatt, onto real tags, theres is ONE kiss, weirdchamp of ao3, which i dont mind its just not what i intended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29468160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kraefandoms/pseuds/kraefandoms
Summary: There were days when Badboyhalo felt sick to his stomach with worry when leaving Skeppy. There were nights when he woke up with vicious nightmares of his best friend consumed by precious metals. And there was all the time in between where he did everything he could to stop it from progressing even more. It was the fact that he even had a life here, in the castle Skeppy called home, only because he stopped the growth the first time around, even though since then, Skeppy’s family had become his family as well.So he read all the books in the royal library with a passion, looking for something, anything, that might help Skeppy.
Relationships: Zak Ahmed & Darryl Noveschosch
Series: Songs from the Overworld, the Nether, and the End [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2161275
Comments: 22
Kudos: 75





	1. Chrysopoeia

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter titles all taken from the Nether soundtrack songs by Lena Raine!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad has a fear, and he decides it's time to do something about it.

The fear crept up on Badboyhalo, and he hadn’t noticed until really, the correct way to describe it was a constant worry.

It had been so many years since Badboyhalo had first become Skeppy’s friend, since he cast the spell to slow and freeze the growth of the diamond skin condition that threatened his best friend’s lives for the first time, but it still required constant magic to keep it from growing once more.

It’s a solution, but not a permanent one.

Even with Badboyhalo’s and Skeppy’s lives entwined, and Badboyhalo wanting to keep his best friend safe forever, there was a part of him that worried. He knows they’re different people, that they might grow apart, that they can’t live their entire lives joined at the hip.

He saw the way the diamonds crept up Skeppy’s skin when he was gone for a few days, doing a manhunt with Dream or when he helped his friends with a small quest. He saw them grow when Skeppy went off with Technoblade for a short adventure.

And it hurt. Skeppy was the reason he was alive, and he wanted it to be permanent that he made sure Skeppy was alive too.

There were days when Badboyhalo felt sick to his stomach with worry when leaving Skeppy. There were nights when he woke up with vicious nightmares of his best friend consumed by precious metals. And there was all the time in between where he did everything he could to stop it from progressing even more. It was the fact that he even had a life here, in the castle Skeppy called home, only because he stopped the growth the first time around, even though since then, Skeppy’s family had become his family as well.

So he read all the books in the royal library with a passion, looking for something, anything, that might help Skeppy.

That lasted about a week until Skeppy figured out what was up.

“So what if it’s not permanent, Bad?” He asked with a grin. “You’re still my friend, no matter how annoying you are. You were my friend before you even stopped the growth. Nothing’s going to change that, dumbass.”

Badboyhalo continued to look for another week.

It’s on the thirteenth day when he finally finds something, a story of an artifact that can protect against any curse, a small, blue pendant.

Unfortunately, the book doesn’t mention where to find it.

Fortunately, Badboyhalo has a pretty good idea even if he doesn’t like it.

Which is why he finds himself leaning against the doorframe to Skeppy’s room, trying to find the words, even after Skeppy had more or less tried to tell him not to continue looking for a cure.

“I found a cure,” he says at last.

Skeppy’s eyes widen. “You did?”

Badboyhalo sighs. “Unfortunately, I’m going to need to go on a trip in order to bring it back.”

“Can I come with you?”

He cringes. “I don’t want-”

“If you say you don’t want me to be in danger, I will bite you,” Skeppy interrupts, and Badboyhalo smiles a little despite himself.

“I don’t know for sure it will be there, but it’s the best place I can think of to look for an object of that type,” he says.

“Where?”

“A bastion.”

“A bastion remnant?” Skeppy asks, tilting his head, confused.

“No. An active bastion,” Badboyhalo says.

“Wait, those still exist?” Skeppy jumps to his feet with a grin. “Really?”

“They’re rare, but I know of where at least one intact one is,” Badboyhalo says, scratching the back of his neck, anxiously.

“Then we’re going! And you’re taking me with me!”

“It’s a long ways away, and it’s dangerous, and I don’t want you getting hurt,” he says, grimacing. “Plus, I don’t know how your uncle would react to me taking you directly into a potentially volatile situation.”

Skeppy rolls his eyes. “Yawn. Boring. I’ll just leave without telling him.”

“He’ll lock you in your room for a week, just like last time you ran off without telling him. You are still the Prince, and there are no other heirs to the throne,” Badboyhalo points out. “He’s not just going to let you walk into danger unknowingly.”

“Ugh, fine. So we ask him. Word it properly to be ‘skill-building’. You’re great at that, you do it all the time when you’re trying to convince Techno and his brothers to do stuff with us.”

“I don’t-” Badboyhalo protests, but he’s cut off immediately.

“You do. Don’t lie to me. It won’t work.”

Badboyhalo smiles despite himself. “Fine. I’ll ask. But tomorrow, okay?”

* * *

He said yes.

The king said yes to bringing Skeppy with him to the active bastion.

_ Damn _ , Badboyhalo thinks, before chiding himself. Maybe he should have been worse with his words, stressed the danger of the situation more.

But then he sees the way Skeppy grins at him, all excited, and Badboyhalo’s heart melts a little despite the situation.

“We get to go!” Skeppy says. “And we get to leave in two days!”

Badboyhalo smiles, even though he doesn’t really feel it. “Yay!” He says.

“It’s been a long time since just the two of us have gone on an adventure together! Normally it’s you and those assholes-”

“Language,” Badboyhalo says, grimacing at the description of the Dream Team.

“-or it’s me and Techno,” Skeppy continues, ignoring him. “And it’s in the Nether, which will be nice for you, right?”

Badboyhalo shrugs, even though he does have fond memories of his home. “I haven’t been there since the last manhunt,” he admits.

“See? We’re going to have fun,” Skeppy says, still grinning, slinging his arm around Badboyhalo’s shoulders. “I’m so glad you managed to convince my uncle to let us go!”

“Mm.”

Skeppy rolls his eyes. “If you really didn’t want me to go, you wouldn’t have done so well. I know you, Bad. Besides, would it really be fair to go get the cure for me  _ without _ me?”

Badboyhalo looks away. “Yeah, I guess,” he concedes.

Skeppy smiles, obviously feeling triumphant. “I know you’re worried about me, but think of it this way. With you around, is there really anything for me to worry about?” He gives Badboyhalo a winning grin, and he smiles back, despite himself. 

“I guess not.”

“See?”

Badboyhalo rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay, I see your point.”

Skeppy grins at him and Badboyhalo can’t help but smile back with all the enthusiasm Skeppy has. He must really be excited about this, he thinks. Skeppy is almost never this excited about things.

Hopefully, it won’t be too bad.


	2. So Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skeppy and Bad set out for their trip.

The portal makes Skeppy nauseous.

The Nether portals always make him nauseous, dizzying, purple swirls that take him from one plane to another, and he doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to it.

The oppressive heat of the Nether rises up to meet him, and as Bad sighs with relief as it hits, Skeppy groans with discomfort.

“Oh, I regret this already,” Skeppy moans, and Bad gives him a small smirk.

“Which one us wanted you to go on this trip?” He asks, voice like honey.

“Oh, come on,” Skeppy says, though he grins at his friend.

Bad grins back at Skeppy and they traverse down the worn nether brick path down to the shore.

As they load the strider waiting there for them, Skeppy can’t help but once more be astonished by how light they’re traveling. Food and water, gold, but few pieces of armor and weaponry. 

“Are we sure we have enough?” he asks.

Bad nods. “We have a place to stop for water, a small outpost for exclusively that, but otherwise, we have everything we need. We’re not allowed too much armor or weapons cause we don’t want to be seen as a threat and get attacked.”

“Not that much is going to attack me while I’m with a Nether demon hybrid,” Skeppy remarks with a lazy grin.

“Well,” Bad concedes with a light shrug. “There is that. Maybe a wither would, or a bold wither skeleton. But I don’t think we’ll be running into either of those.”

“Withers dont spawn naturally,” Skeppy says, dismissively.

Bad shrugs as he places the last bag on the strider. “They do, rarely. Plus, someone might have spawned one here for whatever reason. I don’t know what other people think.”

“Fair.”

Bad climbs onto the strider gracefully before turning to Skeppy and offering his hand. “Get on behind me.”

“Why am I in the back?” Skeppy complains, taking Bad’s hand.

“Cause I have the directions, I know how to navigate the Nether, and I know how to properly ride a strider,” Bad says with a small smile, though from this angle, Skeppy can’t see it in full.

As they take off across the lava, the strider speedily traversing it, Bad takes his time to point out random biomes as they pass.

Skeppy provides sarcastic commentary while drinking his water.

It’s so fucking hot in the Nether, and it turns his water warm fast, and Skeppy grimaces as he drinks it.

As they continue, the land gets further away, and the lava wafts hot air up at Skeppy and Bad, and Skeppy grimaces.

_ I hate it here _ , he thinks, letting out a forlorn sigh.

Skeppy tilts his head back as he pours the last of his water into his mouth, swallowing the warm water with distaste.  _ This is unpleasant _ , he thinks.

But he did ask for this, didn’t he?

He sighs as he puts his canteen back into his satchel.

Bad looks back at him. “You still have plenty of water, right?”

Skeppy shrugs. “Getting low,” he says.

“Hm,” Bad says, slowing the strider down to check his map. The rocking sensation increases for a moment, and Skeppy sighs. This really isn’t his favorite form of transportation, he thinks.

“We’re about 2 hours out still,” Bad says before folding the map once more and grabbing the strider’s reins. “Do you have enough for that?”

“I should,” Skeppy says.

“Alright,” Bad replies, giving Skeppy a smile, tired smile as they pick up again.

Skeppy resumes staring out across the lava. The lake they’re in is huge, though caves lurk above them, zombified piglin grunting and ghasts crying above them. Occasionally, chunks of netherrack crumble and fall from the sky, though normally a great distance from them. Packs of wild striders swim past them, chirring softly to themselves. In the distance, Skeppy can barely make out gravel shores and crimson forests far off in the gloom.

“You know, it’s kinda ugly here,” Skeppy says, and Bad cracks a grin. 

“Oh, it’s definitely ugly,” he agrees.

Skeppy grins before looking back out across the seas.

The tiredness and the nausea creep up on Skeppy as the lava passes them, and he grits his teeth, wishing he had more water, mouth seeming dry.

He grabs his bottle once more before remembering it was empty.

_ Fuck _ , he thinks, grimacing.

The world wavers as they travel, and Skeppy finds it harder and harder to focus on anything other than the smothering heat, his headache, and his thirst.

Skeppy groans softly as he leans on Bad’s back, the world around them seeming dark and heavy.

“Skeppy?” Bad asks, voice tinged with worry.

“‘M fine,” Skeppy mumbles.

“Are you drinking enough water?”

Skeppy nods, face pressed against the light fabrics Bad wears. “Just a little tired,” he says.

“If you say so.”

The heat rising up from the lava beneath them is almost sickening. Skeppy’s stomach churns, and he shuts his eyes, gritting his teeth. 

The strider chirrs quietly, and Bad chirrs back at it, bringing a small smile to Skeppy’s lips, but it dies quickly as the world seems to get a little darker.

He’s almost certain that his face is leaving a damp patch against Bad’s back, but if Bad feels it, he doesn’t say anything.

Skeppy closes his eyes, hating the world and hating himself for wanting to go on this stupid trip, and he slips a little, causing both him and Bad to immediately sit upright.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Bad asks, turning around. “You’re looking really pale.”

“I’m fine,” Skeppy says, gritting his teeth.

Bad reaches a hand out to touch Skeppy’s forehead, and Skeppy swats at it.

“I said I’m fine. Just not feeling so hot.”

Bad lets a little hiss out between his teeth. “Skeppy, I think you’re getting heat exhaustion.”

Skeppy groans, rolling his eyes.

“Drink some water. Now.”

“Can’t. Ran out.”

Bad’s eyes widen. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t need to be babied,” Skeppy complains, the heat and the unsteadiness of the strider causing his stomach to churn even more. “Honestly, the thought of putting anything in my stomach makes me feel sick.”

Bad grimaces. “We’re only about half an hour out to our stop. There’ll be water there. Do you think you’ll be okay until then?”

Skeppy sighs, shutting his eyes. “Is it serious?”

“Really serious,” Bad says, voice going flat the way it did when Bad was really concerned about him.

_ Damn _ , Skeppy thinks.

“Language,” Bad says quietly.

“Did I really say that out loud? Didn’t mean to.” Skeppy leans back against Bad. “You’re really cool, y’know? Not in like, the personality way. I mean it feel nice compared to the lava,” he mumbles.

Bad lets out a small sigh. “Yeah. I know.” He turns back around, and Skeppy fully leans into Bad’s back, letting out a little sigh as the rocking of the strider becomes less noticeable as it gets faster.

Still, as they go on, the world seems to spin a little bit in time with the rocking, and the world gets a little bit darker, and Skeppy leans against Bad even more, feeling weak.

“Man, I feel like shit,” he mumbles, lips barely moving.

“We’re almost there,” Bad says, looking back at him.

“Yeah…” A wave of darkness crashes over Skeppy, and the last thing he sees before it consumes him is the surface of the lava rising up to meet him.


	3. Rubedo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An interlude in a warped forest

Badboyhalo sighs as he leans against the warped tree, feeling wearier than he ever has.

It’s probably a side effect of having just barely saved his friend’s life, he tells himself. He spares a moment to look over at said friend, still half-asleep, lying on the spongy ground beneath them. Skeppy looks better now, the cooler environment of the warped forest and the ample water Badboyhalo used to cool him off having taken effect, but he still hasn’t awoken.

That’s fine. Skeppy probably needs his rest after almost dying of heat exhaustion.

Badboyhalo’s heart still skips a beat when he thinks about it: Skeppy suddenly slipping, and Badboyhalo’s jolt as he realized Skeppy wasn’t catching himself, and barely managing to catch him, Skeppy’s fully diamond hand half-dipped into the lava beneath them.

Badboyhalo sighs, the back of his head hitting the tree softly. He has no idea how long their journey has been yet, but he does know it’s probably not the safest to let his guard down too much. They are, after all, in the Nether.

But as a Nether demon hybrid, very few creatures would dare approach him, even if he were vulnerable.

At least, that’s his reasoning later as to why he let his eyes fall shut for a moment - just a moment, he tells himself.

The next thing Badboyhalo knows is that he’s dreaming.

And he’s in that cursed clearing.

Ahead of him, Skeppy runs, the assassin behind them drawing his bow back.

Skeppy trips on the ground and the assassin lets the arrow fly.

So, Badboyhalo does the first thing he thinks of for his friend: he takes the arrow.

The next few moments pass in a blur: Skeppy screaming and drawing his sword, the assassin’s blood red against the golden, dry grasses, Badboyhalo’s side throbbing, black liquid seeping from the wound.

Wither poison.

Curable, if gotten to in ample time. A golden apple will stave off the effects for a little bit, but in order to fully neutralize the poison, you need a god apple.

Badboyhalo and Skeppy are nowhere near a god apple right now.

Badboyhalo lies on the ground, coughing up blood and black goo violently, and everything hurts, it hurts so bad, and Skeppy rummages in his bag, and Bad places a hand on Skeppy’s arm weakly.

“Don’t bother,” he mumbles softly.

“Of course I’m going to bother,” Skeppy snaps, eyes wide with fear. “I don’t want you losing any lives, even if you are a Nether demon have near-infinite of them.”

“Not me,” Badboyhalo admits, and he doesn’t know why he said that not when Skeppy freezes, looking sick.

“Because you’re a hybrid?”

Badboyhalo shakes his head weakly. “I’m-” He coughs, blood and black goop flying a little, and he groans softly in pain. “I could be like a Nether demon, stealing from everyone else’s lives, but I don’t want to.” He can feel the liquids streaming down his chin, and the texture is unpleasant, but he can’t really move his hands to wipe it from his face.

Skeppy studies him, looking petrified. “But, so if you kissed someone, you’d live for as long as they had all three lives, right?”

Badboyhalo tries to shrug, but the ache, the deep, sickening hurt stops him. “So they say.”

Skeppy stares at him.

“Don’t you dare,” Badboyhalo says, voice firm despite how quiet it is, and he closes his eyes as he fights not to whimper in pain. “I don’t want to be saving you for my own sake.”

“I already know you aren’t.” Skeppy’s voice is unusually soft, and Badboyhalo opens his eyes to look up at him, unnaturally crystal-blue eyes meeting his own. “Let me do this for you,” he pleads.

Badboyhalo goes to shake his head, but a spasm hits, and he cries out as the waves of pain roll over him.

“I’m not letting you lose a life for me,” Skeppy says, hands in Badboyhalo’s hair, and for a moment, he thinks that this wouldn’t be the worst death if Skeppy really cared this much.

Then, Skeppy leans down and presses a chaste kiss to Badboyhalo’s lips.

For a moment, it feels like the world freezes in time, no pain, no fear, no guilt. It’s just Badboyhalo and Skeppy, and Badboyhalo thinks as long as he has Skeppy by his side, he’ll be okay.

It ends, just as quickly as it began, and Badboyhalo stares up in shock at Skeppy.

“What have you done?” He asks, eyes wide, body still hurting violently.

“What you would have for me,” Skeppy says, softly, shutting his eyes tight before nodding, almost as if to himself. “Okay, Bad, I’m going to try to pick you up, alright?”

The world seems to go brighter and darker around Badboyhalo at the same time, and he tries to say something, and he doesn’t know what.

A careful jostle awakens him, and Badboyhalo jumps, fully awake in the present.

“Yo, Bad, you good?”

Badboyhalo blinks at Skeppy in surprise. “You’re awake.”

“And you weren’t.”

Badboyhalo sighs, brushing a hand through his hair. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better. What happened after I passed out?”

“Well, I caught you before you fell in, but your hand was mostly submerged in the lava,” he says.

“This one?” Skeppy waves his fully diamond hand. “I’m guessing. I mean, I would still be feeling it if it were this one,” he continues, waving his other hand, only half covered in diamonds.

Badboyhalo nods.

Skeppy sighs. “Thanks, man.”

Badboyhalo smiles before frowning. “You should have said something sooner, you muffinhead!”

Skeppy puts up both hands defensively. “Next time I will, alright?”

Badboyhalo crosses his arms. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

Badboyhalo smiles a little. “We should head out then. The rest of our travels are overland, and we’ve got quite a ways to go.”

Skeppy groans, but they gather their items together before setting out deeper into the warped forest.

They walk in peace for a while, ignoring the endermen vwooping around them and the unsettling silence of the forest.

“What were you dreaming about?” Skeppy asks suddenly. “You seemed pretty upset.”

Badboyhalo is silent for a moment, debating telling him the truth, but he figures he might as well: “That day. In the clearing.”

Skeppy nods. “Good times.”

Badboyhalo looks over at Skeppy doubtfully. “I wouldn’t call it that.”

“Could have been worse. We’re lucky Philza had a god apple.”

“We wouldn’t have needed it if you just let me die,” Badboyhalo says quietly.

“Just let you die?” Skeppy asks, stopping.

Badboyhalo stops a few steps later to look at Skeppy. “What?”

“Let you die? You’re my best friend?” Skeppy looks anguished. “I mean, who else would be willing to travel across the Nether with me, a fucking hazard to be around, just to try to buy something that might save my life?”

“Techno?” Badboyhalo asks, tentatively, and Skeppy frowns, crossing his arms.

“Bad. You mean the world to me. Of course, I would do anything to save your life. I’d do it again, right fucking now!” He gestures upwards as if daring the gods to try to smite him.

Nothing happens.

Skeppy turns back to Badboyhalo. “I don’t regret it. So you shouldn’t either.”

Badboyhalo smiles, softly. “Thanks, Geppy.”

Skeppy smiles back, walking once more. “Now let’s go get that pendant or whatever it is.”

Badboyhalo smiles to himself as they continue through the forest, periodically checking his map.

They climb up a steady hill, and at the top, Badboyhalo smiles as Skeppy gasps as they take in the view.

The bastion stands before them, the busy hub that Badboyhalo hoped it would still be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok some notes on the Nether demon stuff cause I don't think I will ever really explain it in fic but I wanna explain it I just don't know where to fit it into any of the fics planned for this series and while this fic could have been the one I didn't like any of my placement options
> 
> \- Nether demons are relatively humanoid as in they aren't immortal, they have three lives like most humans  
> \- HOWEVER, they form pacts with people with three lives by kissing them - as long as the person has three lives, the Nether demon will have three lives. They can make pacts endlessly, bouncing from healthy person to healthy person  
> \- BBH could do that and just refuses cause he's BBH what did you expect


	4. Pigstep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some treasures don't need to be discovered, only seen for what they are.

The bastion is unlike anything Skeppy has ever seen before.

He’s seen bastion remnants before, of course, giant blackstone buildings standing tall against the dark red background of the Nether. Those buildings are normally cracked and falling apart, giant scorch marks scarring their exteriors, something Skeppy always thought to be due to the fact that they were in the Nether.

Seeing an active bastion, whole, unscarred, untouched, makes him realize that the remnants are called remnants for a reason.

People mingle out front, lines of Nether hybrids streaming in and out of the building, and as they approach, Bad leans over to whisper in Skeppy’s ear: “Stay close.”

Skeppy nods, eyes wide as he stares at the building as they enter.

Skeppy watches as Bad mingles among the crowd, looking at items and arguing over the prices with the various vendors. He seems to fit right in, Skeppy thinks with a smile.

After a bit, Bad stops at a stall, eyes widening as he picks up a book, gingerly running his fingers over the cover.

Skeppy looks over Bad’s shoulder, curiosity rising even higher than before. “What’s that?”

Bad still stares at the cover in earnest as he answers: “It’s a very rare book. Most copies only exist in the End. I’ve heard stories about it, of course, but I’ve yet to actually see a copy…”

“Until now?” Skeppy asks, studying the design on the front. There’s text written in Galactic type, which means the book is either in Galactic or Ender. There is also a single image: an Eye of Ender.

Bad nods.

“What’s it about?”

“It’s the End’s religious text. And in it, well, I’ve heard there’s a figure who may or may not sound like someone we know.”

Skeppy tilts his head. “Who?”

Bad smiles softly. “I’ll tell you when we get home.” He turns to the vendor and asks a question in Piglin. The vendor replies, and instead of the haggling Skeppy saw Bad do earlier, his friend just hands over the hefty sum of gold.

“No haggling?”

Bad shakes his head. “Not with something like this. I won’t for the pendant either.”

“You don’t need to-”

“I will. Besides,” Bad says with a shrug. “It’s not like I can’t earn it all back.”

Skeppy opens his mouth to argue - probably something along the lines of “you shouldn’t have to” - but the glare Bad gives him shuts him up.

They wander even deeper into the bastion, vendors studying them both curiously, and Skeppy can’t help but stand a little closer to Bad.

“I’m not sure I like it here,” he mumbles.

Bad shrugs, eyes darting around. “Once we get the pendant, we can leave.”

They meander for about half an hour more, the hair on the back of Skeppy’s neck standing on edge as he feels the stares and whispers, until Bad stops in front of a booth, a triumphant grin on his face.

“Here we are,” he whispers to himself.

Skeppy studies the pendant curiously. The embedded jewel almost looks like diamond - a little ironic and on the nose, if you ask him - though it has bands of milky quartz and opaque prismarine running through it, ruining the purity of the diamond itself.

_ Huh, how’s that for symbolism _ , Skeppy thinks.

Bad asks the vendor something in Piglin, a phrase he’s said enough time that Skeppy’s willing to put good money on the fact that it means “How much?”

The vendor looks at Skeppy and seems to think, and Skeppy can’t help but feel guilty. If the vendor raises the price because of how far the disease is… that’s Skeppy’s fault. He’s the one who insisted on coming. 

Skeppy scratches the back of his neck uncomfortably.

The vendor replies, and Bad’s eyes widen, an awed reply in Piglin following.

The vendor replies, picking up the pendant and offering it to Bad.

Skeppy’s eyes widen as he realizes what happened: the vendor was giving it to them for free. He looks up at Bad awed, a small grin forming, and Bad looks at him, a surprised smile on his face as well.

The building rattles underneath them, and the vendor’s eyes widen.

“Better take it now,” they say in Common.

Bad nods, taking the pendant gingerly.

The bastion rumbles again, more violently this time, and Skeppy grabs onto Bad for support, eyes widening.

“What’s happening?” Skeppy demands.

The vendor shrugs as if this happens on a normal basis. “A raid, I’m guessing. Some Piglin tribes disapprove of the bastions being used this way. They used to be holy sites until they lost most of them in wars. Some of them, since, have decided that they’d rather there be no bastion at all than it be in the hands of someone else.”

Bad looks up alarmed. “What does that mean?”

The vendor opens their mouth to answer when a blast sends them flying, Skeppy grabbing onto Bad tightly, Bad wrapping his arms around Skeppy’s neck and head, and Skeppy shuts his eyes tight, bracing for impact.

They land on the tough netherrack, and they slide, Bad putting his hands out to stop them, and when Skeppy looks up, he sees why.

The edge of a cliff comes towards them, fast, the lava below dangerously bubbling.

Skeppy grabs his sword and swings it into the ground and they spin sharply.

Skeppy grunts as he holds onto the sword desperately, Bad still trying to stop them from falling off the cliff, the pendant still in his hand, and they come to a sharp stop, right at the edge of the cliff.

Bad lets out a cry as the pendant falls from his hands, and, heart in his throat, Skeppy watches it sink gracefully into the lava below them.

“No!” Bad shouts, tears in his eyes.

Skeppy holds Bad close as the ashes from the destroyed bastion sink down around them, the lava and the cliff terrifyingly near, but nothing disturbs them.

“I can’t believe we lost it,” Bad says, voice quiet, tears dripping from his face. “I…”

“It’s okay, Bad.”

“But-”

“No buts. Besides, I don’t need that pendant, not as long as I have you.”

Bad stares up at him, light pink irises barely indistinguishable from the white pupils and sclera.

“This trip proved that,” Skeppy says with a smile.

“But what if I’m not there?” Bad asks, voice shaking.

“You really think you’re ever going to let that happen?” Skeppy asks drily.

“Well…” Bad says, voice trailing off.

“That’s what I thought. I don’t need any stupid pendant.”

Bad laughs a little, and Skeppy grins, offering Bad his hand. 

“C’mon. Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter! This is probably the shortest fic I've written that wasn't a one-shot, but hey, at least there's some lead-up to Last City in the End, right? ;)
> 
> I'm debating which fic to write next for this series. It'll either be a short fic like this one featuring Punz and Purpled being brothers and some angst, or it'll be something with the Dream Team and a little bit longer, probably both with an update schedule like this one.


End file.
